One step forward, two steps back
by Kina Gray
Summary: A story about Tyson's dark past and the mask he wears to keep it hidden. When danger is lurking around every corner, how long will it be before he falls apart and drops and his friends find the truth. Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade
1. Chapter 1: Alone

Chapter 1: Alone

"We went over this last year! I don't see why we can't just face off now and then partner up for the tournament!" Tyson exclaimed, now getting frustrated with his friends' unwavering expressions.

They had all decided, yet again, to abandon the Blade Breakers for the sake of their old teams and this ultimately meant the abandonment of Tyson. Especially since Max's mo had offered Kenny a position on the PPB All Star team. He had eagerly accepted after and entire one second of thought about the technology and information he would have access to…not to mention Emily. After Hilary had heard the news it didn't take her long to figure out that she would be the only one left to deal with Tyson; so she also so took a new position as manager of the White Tiger team.

"We need time to train" reasoned Ray.

"And it's not like we're not friends anymore…" Max added carefully.

"Bu-" Tyson was cut short.

"We're leaving. Same deal as last year. There's nothing you can do about it so just suck it up Tyson." Kai said in his usual unnerved monotone.

"Guys! You can battle me when ever you want and train for as long as you need; you don't always need a tournament to battle-- Or is this about the title?" Tyson was getting even more desperate and angry. His teammates shifted uncomfortably.

"Well, it sort of is Tyson. There are things we want to prove to ourselves and to other people." Said Max.

Tyson looked to Kenny and Hilary for an answer.

"The opportunities are just too good to pass up this time Tyson." Replied Kenny tentatively.

"So that's it then? You all want titles of your own and you're willing to sacrifice our team to get them?" Tyson said more than asked.

No one answered.

"Fine! But if this is what winning is…I don't know if it's worth it anymore." And with that Tyson turned on his heel and walked away.

Alone. This was a word that always seemed to haunt Tyson no matter what he did.


	2. Chapter 2: Triple Threat

Chapter 2: Triple Threat

Daichi had long since left to go back home for a while to teach some of the younger kids about blading. He had decided that he would enter the tournament again next year because he would then be able to beat Tyson "for sure!"

So now, as Tyson walked home, he realized he was partner-less. Not only that but he still hadn't forgiven Hiro for betraying him and helping BEGA. Even though Hiro had tried to explain that he was merely trying to make a new challenge, Tyson still couldn't shake the feeling that Hiro had never really rooted for him since his childhood. Hiro had become a stranger in his absence.

So now Tyson had no trainer either. Of course, finding either of those things wouldn't be too difficult considering he was the 3x World Champion but something inside was telling him he'd had enough. Sure, he had gained a title and a lot of great friends but it was _because_ of that title that he was now losing his friends.

As Tyson turned the corner into his driveway, he could see his grandfather standing outside the door looking sadly at him and then at the ground. There were tear stains on his cheeks. Tyson's heart dropped into his stomach.

"Grandpa?!" Tyson managed to spit out as he rushed forward.

Before he could say another word, however, Grandpa held up his hand for silence.

"There was an accident…in Egypt." He swallowed, "A tomb collapsed…Hiro and your father were inside."

Tyson's heart sped up and he asked quickly, "Are they okay?!"

Silence.

Grandpa kept looking at the ground. A few seconds passed…hours? Tyson couldn't tell anymore as anticipation overwhelmed his brain. Grandpa finally shook his head.

"So they're hurt?!" Tyson asked desperately, his voice getting louder. "We'll be going to see them in the hospital?! When are they coming back?"

Grandpa closed his eyes and shook his head and let a single sentence escape his lips, "They won't be coming back Tyson."

"Tyson stared, wide-eyed through his Grandpa and said in barely a whisper "you're lying". Tyson knew he wasn't, but in the back of his head he hoped that if he said it, it might be true.

Grandpa remained silent as Tyson walked passed him and through the door in a zombie-like fashion. He heard a faint whimper and a thump behind him, assuming his grandpa had sunk to the floor in grief. Tyson made it to his room and sat on the edge of his bed.

The next thing he knew, it was pitch black and the clock read 4:30 am. He was sitting in the same position on his bed. He stood up and walked out of his room; hoping a walk could clear his head. He pulled open the door and almost tripped over a lump on the deck. He squinted in the darkness. It was his grandpa, sprawled across the wood where he had been standing hours previous. His eyes were open and unmoving. Finally snapping out of his daze, Tyson dashed to the phone and called an ambulance.

Two minutes later, they were there along with a police car whose officer was asking Tyson various routine questions. An EMS approached them with a solemn look and he whispered something in the officer's ear, who nodded before saying,

"Mr. Granger, I'm sorry to inform you that your grandfather has passed away, likely due to a heart attack but more research will be done as to the cause." Tyson nodded. He had figured as much.

"Do you have any relatives close by that you could stay with?" He officer asked.

Tyson tore his mind away from his grandfather to actually think about the question. Relatives? Well, up until 24 hours ago he had 3. Now there was no one. Where would he go? He certainly didn't want to be placed in an orphan age.

"My uncle is close" He spat out before he even realized what he had said.

The officer nodded and then slightly jumper as his walkie talkie sprang to life.

"Kartye! Robbery on 23rd!"

The officer responded and then took a card out of his pocket and handed it to Tyson.

"Can you get to your uncle's ?" He asked.

Tyson nodded.

"Okay, when you get there, call this number. It will connect you to my buddy Paul at the station and he'll take down all your information. It's very important you talk to him or we won't have this on file. Can you remember that?"

Tyson nodded again and the officer turned to leave but then stopped himself.

"I'm sorry kid." And then he took off with his siren blaring.

Tyson crumpled the card in his hand, knowing he wouldn't be using it.


	3. Chapter 3: Backing out

Chapter 3: Backing out

It had already been 2 days since his family's death but Tyson still hadn't shed a single tear and it was starting to worry him as they were getting harder to suppress. Still in shock from the tragedy, he tried to put the ordeal aside and keep living his life normally. Although, this was becoming increasingly challenging without his family or friends around anymore. It was getting harder to keep it together, as he always had his emotions bubbling right beneath the surface. Every time he walked past the door to his grandfather's training room he would get a strong whiff of his scent and it sent a sensation of white-hot knives stabbing into his chest.

A couple lawyers had shown up at the door yesterday for Tyson to sign off on his relatives' wills. It wasn't very hard to shake off their suspicions of him being all alone. Tyson's father had entrusted him to his grandfather, whom Tyson said was out of town for the week. Luckily, he had already signed the agreement in the previous years so he wasn't really required to be present. Everything else was given to Tyson and Hiro. Grandpa's lawyer came a little later and his will was very similar. He left everything to Tyson, knowing that Hiro and his son would always be travelling and wanted no part in the dojo. Tyson signed the papers quickly and sent the lawyers away, not wanting to test his luck.

The dojo now belonged to Tyson along with all of his father's and grandfather's possessions and the money in their accounts.

Other than those issues, Tyson had been thinking more about the tournament to get his mind off things. The more he thought about it, the more he disliked the idea of competing and Dragoon didn't seem like he was going to protest. With Tyson's brain and emotions in turmoil, perhaps he sensed that they needed to take a break for a while. With Dragoon's approval, Tyson made his final decision and grabbed the telephone off the hook. It rang and an elderly man's voice came from the receiver.

"Hello"

"Mr. Dickenson?" Tyson asked into the phone, a little drier than usual.

"Tyson! I was just about to call you. We have a few things to go over for the opening ceremonies" he replied cheerily.

"That's actually what I called about.I won't be able to make it to the opening ceremonies. In fact…I won't be competing this year." Tyson said slowly

There was silence on the other end for a few seconds.

"I don't understand. I'm sure we can fix whatever it is that's the problem…" he said

"No, Mr.D. It's a personal problem I'd really like to keep to myself." Tyson said carefully.

"Tyson I understand that you have a life of your own but…there are a lot of young bladers who will be disappointed if you're not there to talk to and compete against them. And that that includes your old team mates." He said

"I know and I'm really sorry but I just can't do it this year. And I would really appreciate it if you didn't tell them the reason for my absence. Just tell them I've dropped out."

Tyson knew his friends would be angry with him for leaving the competition but he much preferred that idea to them snooping around trying to figure out what his problem was or feeling sorry for him. If there was anything Tyson couldn't stand, it was when people pitied him.

"Tyson, you're putting me in a very awkward position but I know how much you love beyblading, so if you say you can't make it, I can only assume it's for a very serious matter. I'll let everyone know at the opening ceremonies."

"Thanks Mr. D. I knew you would understand" Tyson said gratefully

"And Tyson? If you ever want to talk to anyone about it or need help with something, you can always call me."

"Thanks again Mr. D. I'll see you around." And with that, Tyson hung up the phone.


	4. Chapter 4: Realization

Chapter 4: Realization

Over the next few days Tyson stayed in the dojo, cleaning and reading as an excuse to not go outside. But now, there was nothing left to read and nothing left to clean…until he looked up and caught a glimpse of the attic door. Perfect.

It took him a few tries to pry it open, as there appeared to be something heavy on it, but after one particularly large heave, it sprang open. He searched the floor with his hands until they found a box and he pulled it down. It was layered with dust and he had to sweep it off before he found the edges to open it. Inside was a knitted blanket with fairly awful patchwork here and there. Tyson took it out, a faint memory of it pulling at the back of his mind. Underneath it was a much deflated soccer ball and an upside down picture frame. He took the soccer ball and rolled it around in his hands, it was more floppy than anything; he set it aside. The last object was a wooden picture frame with intricate carvings around the edges. If it hadn't been for the dust coating, it would have looked brand new. He turned it over and wiped away the dust.

Staring up at Tyson was a picture of his family. Both sets of grandparents stood in the back. His aunt and uncle were on the left side, his mother and father on the right. Hiro was wrestling with his cousin, Chunsa, on the ground, and Tyson was fighting with his other cousin, Yuna, over the soccer ball in the middle. He couldn't have been more than 6 years old at the time. That was back when he loved soccer just as much as beyblading…back when he had a family. His aunt, uncle and cousins had all died in a car accident on the highway coming to their annual family reunion. There hadn't been anymore reunions in the years after that. His mother's parents had died of old age not long after and his remaining grandmother suffered a stroke. All that was left after that was his mother, father, grandfather, and Hiro.

When Tyson was 9, his father and brother had gone on a fishing trip while he stayed home with his mother because he was running a fever. That night, a man broke into their home and tried to take Tyson away but he fought and in all the noise woke his mother up. She tried to stop the man with a kitchen knife but she only got one good slice in before he ripped it out of her hands. Tyson watched in horror as the man stabbed the knife into her stomach over and over. She screamed out in pain each time and eventually stopped fighting him and fell to the floor, her dark blue hair in a tangle around her face. She told Tyson to run and he did as she grabbed at the man's feet in a last attempt to give Tyson time to escape. Tyson ran down his hallway and out the door and hid in the bush around the corner. He heard the man come bursting out the door a second later and waited until he could no longer hear his running feet hitting the pavement. He ran back inside and to his room, dreading whatever was waiting for him. His pace slowed as he neared his door and he shuffled around the corner. His mother was sprawled across the floor on her stomach with her right hand outstretched as if she were reaching for something. He stumbled across the room and collapsed next her, giving her a gentle push on the off chance she was still alive. She didn't react. He pushed her harder, waiting for her to wake up and smile warmly at him and it wasn't until he rolled her over that he stopped. Her face was drained of all colour and her eyes were glazed over. He felt her hand; she was cold. He sat next to her for God knows how long. It was hours until he was finally able to pick himself up and dial 911.

When the police arrived, Tyson was sitting on the porch, his pants soaked in blood and little splotches of covered his shirt, arms and face. They checked him over to see if he was hurt and once they were satisfied with his physical health, they gave him a blanket to wear over his clothes and wiped the blood off his face with a cloth.

When Hiro and his father showed up about an hour later, Tyson was still sitting in the back of the ambulance and the police were still filing in and out of the house. His father was frantically asking an officer what had happened and where his wife and son were. The police officer pointed to the ambulance and said gruffly,

"Your son is in there."

He and Hiro both hurried to the ambulance where the saw Tyson sitting perfectly fine, wrapped in a blanket.

"Tyson, what happened? Where's your mother?" He asked worriedly

Tyson didn't answer; he merely kept looking blankly ahead of him as if he'd never heard them.

"Tyson!" His father said a little louder.

Tyson turned his head and looked at his father with the same blank stare.

"What happened?!" He said even more frantically.

Tyson didn't say a word. At this, his father had had enough and took Tyson by the shoulder shaking him.

"Where is your mother" he said with a violent shake corresponding to each syllable. At the last shake, the blanket wrapped around Tyson slipped off, revealing the blood stains covering his clothes and body. Tyson's expression did change but his father and Hiro stared at him wide-eyed. He lowered Tyson back into a sitting position, his eye's flickering between the different splotches of blood.

Of course, Tyson blocked all of this out but sometimes when he was sleeping it would come to him in flashes and he would wake up in a cold sweat, confused and terrorized. Whenever Tyson asked his father how his mother had died, he would only receive the simple answer of, "She was killed" which still frustrated him. As her son, shouldn't he have a right to know how and why? Little did he know, he was the only one who relay the whole story.

When Tyson was finally able to tear his eyes away from the picture he realized there were tears streaming down his face. He would never see these people again. He would never laugh with his cousins or get scolded by his aunt and uncle. He would never be spoiled by his grandmother or hear stories of the good ol' days from his grandfather. He could never fight with his brother or smile for his mother or play catch with his father ever again. The thought hit him like a punch to the stomach.


	5. Chapter 5: Confrontation

Chapter 5: Confrontation

The next day was the beginning of the beyblade tournament. Tyson had been planning on watching it on TV but after yesterday, he'd decided to stay in bed. He still couldn't stop the tears leaking out of his red eyes and down his cheeks and his hair was unusually unkempt. He hadn't even bothered to change his clothes, which were now rumpled and loose. It was only after he looked at the clock and realised it was 2:30 that he actually picked himself up and walked into the living room. Not that this did much good; he plopped down on the couch and curled up in a tight ball.

Around 4, very loud and frequent bangs came from the door and then some very angry sounding voices.

"Tyson! Get out here, we need to talk about this!" It was Ray

"You know why we left Tyson, this is really low!" then Max

"Stop acting like a spoiled brat. You're the so-called 'World Champion', you have an obligation and responsibility to defend your title!" Kai.

They sounded furious.

Tyson picked himself up off the couch and walked to the door. With immense effort, Tyson forced his voice into the usual strong, arrogant tone it normally was,

"I've decided not to compete this year" he said solidly

"That's bull!" said a familiar voice.

It took Tyson a moment to place it but finally realised it was Rick, from Max's team. What was he doing here?

"Why are you being so selfish?!" and now Mariah?

"Open up Tyson! Or Spencer will have to knock your door in!" Tala and Spencer were here too?

All the teams must have assembled and paraded over to Tyson's after the opening ceremonies. Tyson put his back to the door and slid against it down to the floor. He couldn't go out there…not in the state he was in anyway.

"I can't believe this! We've been training all year for our rematch!" It was Julia

"Yeah!" Mathilda added.

"Shut up!" Tyson yelled through the door. His pain was turning into anger and frustration. "I don't want to compete and you can't make me, so just leave me alone!"

"That's it!" yelled Rick, "I'm breaking the door down!"

Tyson inched away from the door, but the hit never came

"No Rick" Max said moodily, "If Tyson wants to act this way let him."

Rick eased off, "Fine, but I'm coming back tomorrow and if he doesn't face us or change his mind, there'll be a price to pay."

Tyson heard others murmur in agreement.

"I hope you heard that Tyson" said Ray angrily.

He did and his mind was racing. Once he was sure everyone had left, he made his way

back to his room, to think everything through one more time. It wasn't long, however, before his thoughts strayed back to his family and grief overcame him again. He slid open his bedroom door and walked in toward his bed. Something caught his eye. A green piece of paper with writing on it was lying in the center of his bed. Tyson picked it up and squinted at the writing through his watering eyes,

I know who killed your mother.

Pier 21, tomorrow at 6:15 am.

-anonymous

Tyson's eye's widened as he reread the note over and over, making sure he was correct each time. He knew what he had to do.


	6. Chapter 6: Terror

Chapter 6: Terror

On his way to the pier Tyson thought about his friends. They, of course had good reason to be angry with him. First he'd blown up in their faces about leaving the team again, so they'd probably think he was already a complete jerk. Then he'd told them being World Champion wasn't worth it, as if their goals were feeble. And now he had dropped out of the tournament; something they would probably interpret as a move made in spite of them. Had he been put in their shoes, he would have been furious as well, but there wasn't another solution Tyson could think of that would satisfy him.

Getting closer to the docks, the morning mist became thicker and the rising sun shot beams of light through it so a soft, orange glow encased Tyson as he walked. A silhouette appeared before his eyes and became more prominent with each step. A few meters before him Tyson stopped.

"Hello?" he said dryly while glaring through the mist.

"Tyson Granger." He replied in a rugged voice. "You're 3 minutes late. That's rude." He finished tauntingly.

"Who was it?" asked Tyson, ignoring the last comment and trying to get this conversation over with. Something about this man was making him uneasy, which was strange because Tyson could really only hear his voice.

The man shifted and let out a light chuckle, "Well aren't we impatient" he said in an amused tone. "You know this was really just a courtesy call and the bit about your mom…well that's just a bonus."

Tyson furrowed his brow and thought for a moment before saying,

"What are you talking about?"

The man laughed again, his silhouetted form shaking in the fog.

"You always were a stupid, reckless kid. Tell me, what made you want to come here, at the crack of dawn, to meet a complete stranger claiming to know your mother's killer? And without anyone to back you up? It certainly wasn't because you're smart and it certainly wasn't because you're sensible."

Tyson felt a twinge of anger accompanied by fear awaken in his chest.

"Just spill it; what's this about?" he said, trying to sound as confident as possible.

"Alright, alright," he said happily, "now where should I start? Ah! Yes. Now, am I correct in saying that you remember nothing about your mother's death?"

With another twinge of annoyance Tyson spat, "All I know is that she was murdered."

"Interesting," the man openly pondered, "When I read the police report I'd just assumed you lied and kept it a secret." He thought some more.

"Will you stop speaking in riddles and just get on with it!" Tyson said, now at the end of his rope with this man.

"Your mother was murdered in front of your eyes you ignorant brat!" the man barked.

Tyson stayed silent, his mind reeling. The man continued,

"Your father and brother were on a camping trip" he dictated mockingly "you stayed home with mommy. A man came to steal you away but mommy just couldn't let that happen. She got in the way, and was stabbed to death trying to protect you". He paused.

Tyson stared, wide-eyed. The man resumed his speech,

"Although, it's not like her efforts were wasted…yet. But that's what I really wanted to talk to you about." He said, a hint of glee lacing each word, "I've made a personal resolution to never leave a job unfinished. I just thought I'd give you fair warning as compensation for killing your mother." He almost laughed the last few words.

Tyson's heart was on overdrive, his mind torn. He half wanted to launch himself at the man and beat him to a pulp, and half wanted to turn and run as far and as fast as he could away from this man. But before he had time to make up his mind, the man reached into his coat and Tyson's feet melted to the pavement. What the man pulled out was not what he had expected. He tossed it over to Tyson and he caught it. Glancing down at it, he could see it was a beige folder.

"Something to jog your memory." The man said

Tyson kept a weary eye on the man as he opened the folder and pulled out the contents. What he found completely consumed him, and the man standing in front of him was immediately forgotten. Staring up at him from the paper inside was a picture of his mother. She was wide-eyed and open-mouthed, pale and empty looking. Blood stains adorned her face and greased her hair. In a split second, memories flooded Tyson's brain; flashes of moments he'd locked away for 7 years. He was suffering, drowning in his memories and nothing could pull him out.

Until the man spoke one more time, and this time Tyson recognized his voice. It was bloodthirsty and menacing like liquid black. The killer was closer now, standing right in front of Tyson with something gleaming in his hand.

"But I wouldn't use the word jog to describe what I think you should do now…"

The thing in his hand, Tyson found out, was a knife as the man slashed it toward his head. Tyson's legs unfroze and he ducked. The blade, instead, cut deep into Tyson's cheek, ripping downward. The terror that had filled his body all those years ago returned full throttle. He turned on his heel and bolted away from his mother's killer, running as fast as he could. The man's laughter grew fainter with each bound Tyson took away from him. He knew the man hadn't followed him but he kept going. He didn't stop sprinting until he reached the safety of his dojo walls. He sunk down against the locked doors. He was sweating and shaking violently. He looked down at his hands. He was still clutching the photo of his mother and he stuffed it back in the envelope, hastily trying to get the image out of his sight.


	7. Chapter 7: Inferno

Chapter 7: Inferno

Haunting memories kept coming in flashes and pain shot through Tyson's body and brain with each one. Too much had happened in the last week and now he had almost reached his breaking point. He managed to lift himself off the ground a couple hours later, leaving the photo and folder on the ground outside the dojo gates, not daring to touch it. He shakily got to his feet and ambled over to the side of his house. He had a job to do and it couldn't wait. He picked up a log and placed it upright, took an axe, and swiftly chopped through it. He passed a sideways glance at the grey envelope; he was never going to see that picture again…he would make sure of that. He continued chopping wood until he reached a satisfying amount, which was a pile about as tall as he was. He then started carrying the pieces out back to the fire pit. Once he was finished and actually had a flame lit, he heard a familiar voice outside the gate.

"Tyson!"… it was Ray.

He tossed one more log into the inferno in front of him before responding.

"Back off! I'm not in the mood!" He said angrily.

Taking this particular tone with them, he realized, might not have been the best idea but he didn't care.

"You can open this door or we can break it down!" Shouted Lee angrily, "Either way, we're coming in!"

Tyson didn't reply. He merely stopped listening and threw another log into the fire. The teams, livid, continued to yell threats until they actually started pounding on the door. Eventually Kai lost his patience and found a way to climb over the wall and unlock the gate. That being so, he was the first one to spot Tyson with his back turned, ignoring them. He was still feeding and stoking the fire, secretly hoping they would all say their part and leave. This, however, could not be so. Kai took a few fast-paced steps forward, separating himself from the rest,

"Tyson, I don't know what's going on in your head, but you've sunk to an all new low." He said no more.

Tyson waited to see if he was going to continue but he didn't so, with his back still turned, he carelessly shrugged his shoulders. To be honest, he did care about his friends, but at the moment his mind was elsewhere and nothing his friends said had much of an effect. Images continued flashing across his vision. Kai clenched his teeth and balled his hands into fists with rage. He walked the rest of the way to Tyson and grabbed the shoulder of his jacket, jerking him around. Kai raised his fist but froze as he saw Tyson's face. His eyes grew wide and his hand slowly lowered. There were a few hushed gasps and whispers from the teams behind him. Tyson's face was set and his eyes had a significant emptiness to them. There was a long crimson cut running the length of his cheek and blood had been dripping off his face, staining the upper left portion of his jacket and shirt. Kai's grip loosened and Tyson easily brushed his hand away. He turned around again and continued monitoring his fire. No one said anything for a while until Ray finally found his tongue,

"Wha-" he started but Tyson cut him off.

"You can leave now."

No one argued and they all turned to go, confused and shocked, except for 5 of them. Kai, Max, Ray, Kenny, and Hilary stayed behind as the other teams watched nervously from the gate.

"Tyson, what's going on?" Hilary demanded. "How did that happen to your face?"

Tyson turned toward them, once again revealing the red line engraved in his face, making a few people wince. "That's none of your business so stay out of it." He said forcefully. Tyson walked toward them and the warm reflection of the flames abandoned his face, showing them his paper-white complexion, making the cut even more prominent. Instead of stopping in front of them, he walked right past them and bent down, coming back up with the grey envelope clutched in his hand. He began walking back in the direction of the fire but Ray stepped into his path with his arms crossed.

"What's going on, Tyson?" he said in a solid tone; more demanding than questioning.


	8. Chapter 8: The Truth

Chapter 8: The truth

"Get out of my way Ray" Tyson said coldly

Ray fixed his eyes on Tyson and responded, "Not until you tell us the truth."

Tyson considered Ray's unwavering stare and then all his other friends wearing the same expression. A way out. This is what he needed. He had to think of something quick; and that was when he caught sight of the axe in his peripheral vision. Tyson managed to heave a sigh and then looked back to Ray,

"I accidentally cut myself with the axe this morning." He said simply

Hilary laughed, "Yeah right Tyson, you don't chop wood. Where's gramps?" she asked, looking around.

Tyson stiffened and Max, unfortunately, caught it.

"What?" he asked, genuinely curious.

Tyson ignored him, "He's away for a while. So yes, Hilary, I _do_ chop wood" he said as casually as possible. Just then it hit him. Tyson was now on the top of a killer's hit list. Just by talking to his friends, he was putting them in danger. He had to make them leave as soon as possible. "Now if you don't mind, leave" he said, all of a sudden angry again.

His friends looked taken aback, and he couldn't really blame them. Kai face turned from stunned to angry in an instant and he retaliated,

"Well now that we've got that sorted out, why don't we pick up where we left off," he walked closer so his face was only an inch away from Tyson's, "unless you've changed your mind or have a damn good reason as to why you left the tournament."

Tyson shrugged again, "I don't want to" he said simply. Maybe, he thought, Kai can get one good punch in and that'll be enough to get them out of here. Instead of punching him, however, Tyson felt his legs get kicked out from under him and he hit the ground hard on his back. As soon as he hit the ground, he felt a hand ball up in the material of his jacket and raise him up slightly. Kai was staring intensely into his face, anger pulsing in his eyes.

"Don't lie to me." He said firmly

"Fine." Tyson said through clenched teeth. He would have the give them the answer they were expecting. "I left the tournament to get back at you for abandoning the team. Now one of you can have all the titles, fame and glory you want." He finished.

Kai looked as if he was ready to kill Tyson but instead he shoved Tyson back into the ground, muttering something along the lines of 'you're not worth it'. He sat up and rubbed the back of his head. His ex-team glared at him and then, the person Tyson expected to say the least, stepped forward. Kenny.

"Tyson, you should be ashamed of yourself! You know very well that leaving the team wasn't just about titles and fame; it was about beating you, the world champ!"

"Kenny's right!" Hilary backed him up. "If you had any respect for your friends, you'd be entered in that tournament and battling in the preliminaries tomorrow!"

'They just won't leave, will they?!' Tyson thought, growing more worried and impatient.

"Who ever said I had respect for you?! I've been telling you for the past 10 minutes to go! I don't want you here."

Tyson heard a sharp intake of breathe coming from Max's direction and he turned, expecting to see rage, sadness, confusion…but not horror. Max's jaw was hanging slightly open and his eye's wide staring down at- it couldn't be…but Tyson saw the open grey folder lying on the ground at Max's feet. Tyson face soon mirrored the look on Max's. He must have dropped the folder when Kai knocked him down. On the back of the photo was something Tyson hadn't seen before. There was writing in red marker smeared across the back reading '_you're next." _

Tyson walked quickly over to Max and scooped up the folder. He made to snatch the photo away from him but someone else got there first. Kevin flashed past and landed on top of the fence smirking playfully. Tyson growled,

"Hand it over Kevin!"

"Hey now, don't get your feathers ruffled, I just wanted to see what all the commotion was about. I mean, I've never seen a person freeze up quite like Max did" he waved the photo around carelessly, "and I wanted to know what _your next_ meant" he said pointing to the red marker. He turned the photo over and nearly fell off the wall as his legs turned to jello. The photo slipped out of his hands and fluttered down into the courtyard, landing in between the 2 groups of people face up. There was no point in trying to hide it anymore. Everyone had seen it and fallen silent. Tyson walked toward the picture and picked it up by the corner. Even the slightest glimpse of the picture made him feel sick to his stomach. He turned on his heel and made his way to the fire, where he made to sure to place the photo in the very center along with the folder. He watched it burn, dreading the moment he would have to turn around and face his friends again.


	9. Chapter 9: No escape

Chapter 9: No Escape

The black rectangle of charcoal crumbled in the flames in front of Tyson. He could feel the dozens of eyes staring at his back, but that was nothing compared to the lingering feeling of his mother's dead, empty eyes staring up at him from a pool of blood in the photo that had been quickly engulfed in flame. His heart was aching and his head pounding again.

*Flash*

Running away, leaving her there to die

*Flash*

Her body, surrounded by blood.

*Flash*

His father falling to the ground, tears pouring down his face

*Flash*

Hiro shaking him and yelling "Why didn't you save her!"

*Flash*

"Tyson." Hilary said in a quiet voice.

He didn't respond. Instead, he continued staring into the flames.

*Flash*

Moving in with grandpa

*Flash*

"Tyson." Ray said a little louder.

*Flash*

His father, giving Tyson one last contempt-filled glance before leaving.

*Flash*

Hiro pushing Tyson away for the last time before he ran away

*Flash*

"Tyson what was that?" Kai asked the loudest of all.

Tyson looked up from the fire and took a deep breath before turning around. The memories continued flashing across his vision; there was no escaping them. His feet were cinder blocks as he tried to move them to turn himself around. His whole body felt like it were being weighed down. He finally managed it but his eyes remained glued to the ground near Kai's feet. Slowly, he looked up to meet his hard stare. Everyone was completely silent and still, making the movement and rustle of the trees in the wind all the more prominent. They were all waiting for him to speak; to tell them the whole story; the truth; the only thing he had ever lied about. But he couldn't do it. No; for far too long he had acted as though he was living a happy life and always had, when really, it had only started improving 3 years ago the day he met Kenny. For far too long, he'd hidden his pains and burdens under laughter and feeble jokes. They wouldn't want him any other way; Tyson was sure of this.

"_You're next. _ Is that a threat or a joke?" Max asked quietly

"And who was in that picture?" Hilary added

_A threat or a joke? _The sentence ran itself over a few times in Tyson's head. A joke…

"You could call it a joke…" Tyson said.

Had his voice not been so dry and emotionless, it might have been believable. He could see team mates exchanging glances, which basically meant that they all knew he was telling complete bullshit. The jig was up, he couldn't dance around it anymore, they knew something was up and they wouldn't stop until they got what they wanted; they'd already proven that there was no escape. Before anyone could raise another argument Tyson headed them off,

"It was my mother." He stated.


	10. Chapter 10: consequence

Author note: I really sorry about how short all the chapters are, but I have very little time to write. My weeks are so hectic and offer me miniscule leisure time. Just to give you a proper reason for my stinginess: Right now I'm travelling across Canada with a youth program for ages 17- 21 so…right now I work 9-5 Monday to Friday, usually end up doing a few hours of volunteer work afterward, try to maintain a social life for a few hours a week, and then there are all the add-ons like executive counsel meetings, Food not Bombs every Sunday, PL blocks, KCC, volunteer and 2nd language counsel, making as many calls as I can make back home to my family, and household chores. I made this chapter a little bit longer to try and make up for it but, just so you know, they'll probably keep on coming at the length they've been at. OR you could let me know if you want me to keep submitting short ones frequently (like I've been doing) or write longer ones and submit them at longer spaces of time…???

Let me know,

-Kinabee

Chapter 10: Consequences

It was quiet again; quiet for a very long time. Hilary took a slow step forward and jerked to a stop as Tyson spoke.

"You should all leave now." He said quietly.

The group faltered before turning around.

"Wait."

The trams looked back around, locking their eyes on Kai's set, stern face.

"_You're next._ Who was it talking about?

"What happened with my mother was a long time ago. It's nothing for you to worry about." Tyson answered soberly.

"You didn't answer my question Tyson."

"It's been 7 years; it doesn't matter anymore."

"Then you shouldn't have a problem telling us about it."

"Why do y-"

"Tell me."

""Why do y-"

"Tell me."

"You don't nee-"

"Yes I do."

"Just leave it Kai!"

"No!"

Both boys had raised their voices to a yell now.

"It means you, doesn't it?" Kai said, his voice returning to his normal tone.

"I-" He struggled with himself, "Yes!"

"But it happened a long time ago, so it's nothing to worry about, right?" Max reasoned.

"Exactly" Tyson mumbled.

"So they caught whoever did it?" Miguel asked.

"Excuse me but this wouldn't happen to be the granger residence, would it?"

The group faced the gate. A man stood, clothed in a brown leather jacket, dark blue jeans, and a black baseball cap with pieces of brown hair sticking out from underneath. His eyes were hidden by a pair of aviator sunglasses.

"Yes. It is." Tyson replied uneasily. Something about his wasn't right. Something was too familiar. He had felt this way before.

"Oh good. My name is Jack Ross; I was a friend of the family. Are you…Tyson?" He asked, unsure.

Tyson nodded.

"I thought so. You look so much like your mother. You have her hair and eyes. I always- anyway, I'm really sorry for your loss. I just thought I could drop by to ask about when and where the funeral will be. I assume you'll be having them all at once?"

Tyson's stomach twisted itself into a knot. 'Not in front of them. This just keeps getting worse' he thought.

"I. I-uh" he started tiredly.

"You're a bit late," Rick interrupted. "The funeral ended almost a decade ago."

"What? Oh! No," Jack chuckled, "of course Resa's funeral was ages ago. No. I was wondering about the funeral for Ryu, Hiro and Bruce."

All eyes turned to Tyson, widened with shock. Tyson kept his eyes fixed on Jack, guilt and panic growing in his chest. He could feel all their eyes drilling into him, begging for an explanation.

"There won't be a funeral. They've already been buried, but you can go visit them if you want."

"Oh…could I just pull you aside for a sec?" He said more than asked.

He put an arm around Tyson's shoulders and turned him away from the group.

"They didn't know did they?" he asked.

"No."

"Well they do now…and that makes your job much more difficult…and mine much more fun" He put his hand into his pocket "because if they get in my way, who knows what could happen?"

There was a snap and Jack pulled a switchblade out of his pocket, holding it next to Tyson's throat. Tyson stiffened.

"But I think you have a pretty good idea, don't you?" Jack asked.

"Don't touch them. I swear, if you do-"

"What? You'll run and hide?"

Tyson balled his hands into fists and clenched his teeth.

"I don't want any interferences!" Jack whispered viciously. "This is a fair game and there are consequences for cheating. You learned that lesson last time you asked for help. Mommy didn't fair too well, did she?"

Tears of pure fury started blurring Tyson's vision.

"Do we have an understanding?"

He pressed the blade into Tyson's throat, who glared at him out of the corner of his eye.

"Good." Jack smiled, pocketing the knife, purposely neglecting to snap it closed again.

He stood up straight and clapped Tyson on the back heartily.

"Now!" He said loudly, turning back to the large group of beybladers, "I really must be going and- oh! I almost forgot!"

He plunged his hand back into his pocket and pulled out a slightly bent, sealed envelope and handed it to Tyson.

"I knew you'd lose the first. Just let me know if you need another one, I have tons." He smiled and walked jauntily out the front gates.

Tyson considered running after him, but knew it would be a stupid idea seeing as he was armed. That and the fact that he was still slightly paralyzed from shock uninspired him from pursuit. Instead, he looked back at the mob of teams. Hilary and Mariah already had tears running down their faces.

"Gramps…?" Hilary choked, unable to finish.

Tyson nodded.

"And-"

"Hiro and my dad too."

Tyson started ripping open the envelope, distracting himself from the distraught faces of the crowd in front of him combining with the ever growing pain of his lost family and the renewed fear of being hunted. Fresh tears appeared in Hilary's eyes and she cast her glance downward to the dirt at her feet.

"When did this happen?" Ray asked softly

"Last week?" Tyson guessed weakly. To be honest, he had lost track of the number of days it had been. He'd spent a few days without leaving his room so that had already confused him.

"How- Tyson your neck!" Ray said, walking over quickly.

Tyson reached up to his neck and felt warmth on his hand. Looking at it, he saw glossy, red blood dripping from his fingers. The blade must have gone deeper than he thought and now he could feel a faint stinging on the side of his neck.

"It's fine." He said monotonously, looking back down to the envelope.

He took out the paper inside and unfolded it. Red marker had scrawled a not across the page: _consequences._ Tyson flipped the page over. If there was any colour left in his face it drained away instantly and a familiar nauseous feeling began to plague his stomach again.

That photo again. He crumpled it in his hands into a tight ball but Ray had definitely seen and the rest of the group had recognizable haunted expressions on their faces. Lee jumped,

"That guy!" He ran to the gate, looking both ways outside. "He's gone."

"I thought you said there was nothing to worry about" Kenny said quietly.

"There _is_ nothing to worry about; nothing for _you_ to worry about." Tyson replied.

"Tyson!" Kenny exclaimed, obviously annoyed, "How can we not worry about this! Someone wants to kill you! We have to tell someone."

"No!" Tyson said anxiously, "You can't!"

"But we have to. You need to tell them what happened."

"No. I can't and I wont…and neither will you."

"Then at least tell us." Kai interjected

"Kai, he needs to tell the authorities." Kenny moaned

"If he doesn't want to, there's probably a good reason."

Tyson glanced over at Kai. He might not have known the full situation but there _was_ an understanding and Tyson felt relieved by this.

"Regardless of that Tyson, _we_ deserve to know the truth; this is the last time I'm going to ask you."

'They deserve to know?!' Tyson thought, 'I don't have to tell them anything! They don't even know me. Up until today, they still thought I would leave a beyblade tournament out of spite and a need for revenge. They did even it _think_ there could be another possible explanation. Then they come barging into my home, demanding my cooperation and-' The anger was rising in Tyson head but a little voice was slowly becoming more prominent. 'I can't do it alone anymore. They're all I have left.'

"Fine." Tyson croaked.


	11. Chapter 11: Unbreakable?

Chapter 11: Unbreakable?

The teams had all piled into Tyson house and were sitting cross legged around his large rectangular table, each glancing discreetly at Tyson as he sat down at the end. Tyson was looking at his feet, his hands, a piece of the floor, anything apart from his friends' faces. He jumped slightly as he felt something wet and warm touch the cut on his neck.

"Calm down." Hilary said in a voice barely above a whisper, grabbing his shoulder with her other hand to keep him still.

Her voice was quiet and hoarse, probably from crying. It took a moment for Tyson to realize that she was cleaning up the blood on his neck with a damp cloth. He turned his head to try and see her face only to have her push it back and continue dabbing around the cut.

"I don't understand why you didn't tell anybody." Max said quietly, sounding a little hurt.

Tyson sighed, "It's nothing personal Max; it's just…it's my problem to deal with, not yours."

"Well would you mind filling us in on what the problem _is_?" Rick asked impatiently. He winced as Mariah jabbed her elbow sharply into his ribs.

Tyson looked back down to the edge of the table, "I don't know." He mumbled.

"You don't know what?! Your problem?! If you can trust us? Because this room is full of people who want to help you and you're just sitting there- Cut it out Mariah!- you're just sitting there pretending your alone and giving up!"

"Rick." Max said warningly.

"No! The Tyson I know isn't a quitter. The Tyson I know doesn't bow down to a threat. He never gives up! So what exactly don't you know Tyson?"

"Rick, that's enough." Ray said standing up.

"No, Ray its okay." Tyson said tiredly.

He looked up from the table to Ray, waiting for him to sit back down. As Ray complied, his gaze caught on Tyson's. His eyes were different. There wasn't the usual warmth or fire blazing in them. The fight had gone. Instead, they looked worn and tired. They were old eyes, broken eyes. Ray stood back up, alarmed.

"Tyson, what happened to you?!" he said louder than he had intended; almost accusingly.

Not only Tyson was shocked by Ray's sudden outburst. Ray wasn't one to raise his voice often, much less in such a sensitive situation and with so much blame in his words. But only Ray knew that it wasn't blame but fear that had overwhelmed him. At the moment, the Tyson he had grown to know and even admire, seemed so far away and lost. Those eyes didn't belong to any friend of his. What scared him was the thought of never getting the real Tyson back.

"I-" Tyson started, shocked "I don't know. I can't do this." He said getting up abruptly and walking quickly but shakily toward the door.

A hand grabbed onto his wrist tightly, "Tyson stop. We won't leave you alone again." said a voice torn with guilt. It was Hilary, "Just tell us what happened. We can help you." she pleaded.

"You can't." he said, tearing his hand out of her grip and continuing out the door.

He kept on going out through the front door and toward the gates. Unfortunately, a few people had made it there before him. Miguel, Raoul, Julia, and the White Tigers stood blocking the gate with Kai in front, his arms crossed.

"Tyson, you're not going anywhere until you tell us what's going on." Kai said firmly.

"What do you want me to say?" Tyson said. He didn't have enough energy to try and make a run for it. He hadn't eaten or slept properly since his grandfather had died. "Nothing I tell you is going to change anything."

Nobody responded.

"Get out of my way." Tyson said weakly.

"You can't push us away Tyson." Max said, walking up behind him.

"Please! Can't you all just leave me alone!" He yelled, looking around at each of the teams. Strength returned to his voice as desperation took hold, "I can deal with this by myself! Go enjoy the tournament. Trust me, you don't want to know. You can't do anything."

"How can we be sure if you won't tell us anything?!" Kenny yelled back.

"Because…I just know!" Tyson responded lamely.

"We just want to help!" Emily interjected, stepping up beside Kenny.

"I already told you, you can't!"

"We already told you, we aren't going anywhere until you-" Julia was interrupted.

"Fine! You really want to know?! You want to know the truth?! You want me to tell you that my entire family is dead?! Hiro and my dad died in a collapsed tomb! Grandpa died of a heart attack and probably could have been saved if I wasn't so damn stupid and selfish! And my mother?! I watched her being stabbed to death and just ran away, okay?! She was trying to save me, and I abandoned her. Now the killer's back and he's coming after me again! So, you really want to know why I don't fight back, Rick?! Because I don't care anymore! There's nothing left here for me and I'm not worth it! Does that pretty much sum it up for you?!"

No one said anything. There were only a few light sniffles coming from different directions. Tyson took a few more heavy steps toward the front gates.

"Get out of my way." He said more strongly this time.

"You have to tell the authorities." Kenny piped in uneasily.

"I can't." Tyson said bitterly, "The police mean nothing to this guy. This is a game to him. Don't get in his way. Now move."

"What are you saying?!" Hilary said hysterically, "_Don't get in his way_? You're telling us to let him kill you!"

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

"How can you want that?!"

Tyson turned around swiftly to face Hilary, "Look at me! I'm nothing but a coward, Hil! I let my family die, hell I as good as killed two of them! I don't deserve t-"

"DON'T say it!" Hilary yelled, "None of that's true and you know it!"

Tears were streaming down her face and many of the team mates around looked to be in the same state or had their faces buried in their hands. No one had been prepared to see Tyson, their number 1 rival, happy-go-lucky, hard-headed, strong-willed leader slip so far over the edge. Tyson had always been…unbreakable.

"But it is." Tyson said in barely a whisper.

He started to tremble and Hilary took a slow step toward him. He turned back around, facing Kai.

"Get out of my way." He tried one last time, his voice fragile again.

"No." Kai said a little more softly.

Tyson felt Hilary's hand land gently on his shoulder. He shook it off and pushed Kai out of the way. Kai's hand caught Tyson's collar as soon as passed him and he began to struggle to free himself. Ray broke off from the line of bladers blocking the front gate and told a firm grasp on Tyson's arm.

"Let go!" he ordered even more angrily than before.

"We're not leaving you, Tyson." Max said as he grabbed Tyson's other arm.

His eye's starting stinging as tears gathered in them but he fought to hold them back. He struggled harder but more and more people were restraining him. His anxiety grew and he worked harder and more desperately to free himself.

"Please, let me go!" he said desperately.

Hilary stepped in front of him and the group of beybladers keeping him held back. There were still tears glimmering in her eyes and down her cheeks and as she walked quickly toward Tyson he knew she would just be another person he would have to fight off.

"Stop." He said, even though he knew she wouldn't.

He was surprised when she put her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"It's okay." She whispered sadly.

It was strange how it only took those two words for Tyson to completely fall apart. He lets the tears lingering in his eyes fall and stopped struggling against his friends. A muffled yell escaped him as he fell down to his hands and knees. All at once he was robbed of air and started taking deep, shaky breaths. Hilary was on her knees still holding on tightly, now with one arm around his head and the other stretched across his shoulders.

By this point, even Lee had tears threatening to fall. Only Kai, Rick, and Julia had managed not to tear up but still had looks of grief, and in Rick's case guilt, plastered to their faces.

Tyson. The one person who could never be brought down, had been broken in the worst possible way and, for all they knew, he could never be brought back.

Wow…okay I'm sorry this one was so late…and tragic. I had a tiny bit of writer's block. I had no intentions for this chapter to come out so depressing. It'll be okay! I promise! Thanks to all my reviewers so far! I love all the support and helpful hints! Keep'em coming :D

-Kinabee


	12. Chapter 12: Snapping out

It was pitch black now and Tyson was on the roof; the only place he could find that wasn't filled with beyblading teams. Nobody seemed to want to leave him alone; but who could blame them after the display he'd made earlier? He guessed this was their way of being supportive: distributing themselves throughout his house, thus, stealing any possible way for Tyson to be or feel alone. Well, it definitely worked, Tyson didn't feel alone at all, but this wasn't necessarily his preference either.

Somehow he had managed to sneak onto the roof without anyone noticing, and at last he was able to breathe. Sympathy, worry, and concern; yes, his plan had royally backfired and it was all due to his bad timing. Had he not gone to the docks, or not spent hours preparing a fire for one damn file folder, or not gone and had a mental break down, he wouldn't have gotten anyone else involved in his mess.

"But I suppose there's no sense dwelling on it now." He said to himself.

What's done is done. He couldn't change any of it.

The moon was full and glowing against the heavy, velvet sky. Tiny stars dangled around it flickering. Nowadays it was hard to tell a satellite from a star; that was depressing.

Great, now the sky was depressing him; wasn't there anything uplifting anymore? Or was everything just going to hell? A white light streaked across the sky. Tyson caught it in his peripheral vision. A shooting star, no mistake. If only those silly wishes _could_ come true. It made him think back to something his grandpa had said.

"_Wishes don't just come true, little man. They're goals and you have to work for them. Nothing comes easy, you'd best learn that."_

It was a moment later that he had knocked over his entire stock of flower pots and wept for the better part of an hour over it. Tyson smiled over the memory of his grandfather. There weren't a lot of really great memories with his family; it had all been rather bitter business with everyone apart from Grandpa. There was, however, a small handful of rare occasions that Tyson could recall feeling like he was encased in the warmth of family, like he had belonging there. He still had a family in that way. Now, he even had a few more memories of his mother; her gentle smile for one.

For the first time in weeks, a small genuine smile graced Tyson's lips. Unknown to him, it was the same gentle smile of his mother. He leaned back and lay back on the roof, the incline just enough to give him a full view of the star-littered sky above him. The clarity of it sent a shiver up his spine.

In a moment like this, usually Tyson would be in perfect peace, contented but not tonight. He could still feel a tight knot in his chest and the reason for it wasn't particularly obscure. The injustice of his family's death along with the constant threat of his friends' safety weighed heavily on Tyson's shoulders.

'And what I have _I_ done? I've been sitting around feeling sorry for myself.' Tyson thought.

As much regret as Rick had for his outburst earlier, Tyson now understood that he had been right about it. It was amazing how much damage you could do to yourself by bottling up your emotions he realized as he thought back to earlier in the day. He felt calm now. He could think straight. And while all the emotions were still there, he found them easier to push aside.

'First thing's first.' Tyson thought as he pushed himself up from the cold roof shingles. If he was going to do anything now, it would be getting his friends away from the threat.

* * *

Max walked into the kitchen. The White Tigers and F-Dynasty were there, trying to put together something to eat with what was left in Tyson's cupboards and fridge.

"Hey Ray." Max said, motioning for him to come closer.

Ray put down the jar of tomato sauce he had just taken from the cupboard and followed Max's lead into the next room.

"Have you seen Tyson anywhere?" Max asked anxiously.

"What do you mean? Wasn't someone watching him?"

"We all have been but he must have snuck away…"

"Have you looked everywhere?"

"Yeah I think so. I mean Kai, Hilary and Kenny are still searching around the house but-"

At that moment the 3 of them walked in through the side door, unaccompanied by Tyson.

"No luck" was all Kenny had to say.

"He's gone." Hilary said regretfully.

"How could this have happened?" Ray said angrily "We were all supposed to be keeping an eye on him so something like this wouldn't happen!"

"Ray, calm down. We understand your concern but knowing Tyson, there's nothing any of us could have done. He knows how to get what he wants." Kai said.

"So what do we do? What are we going to tell everyone?" Max asked.

"Ummm, I hope you don't mind my interrupting but…" Mystel had poked his head in through door way, "I found this" he held up a folded piece of paper "on the roof."

"What is it?" Ray asked curiously.

"Something along the lines of _I don't want to put you in danger so I'm leaving_. It's signed Tyson." He replied grimly.

"Shit." Kai said, fury ringing in his voice "Mystel, you need to let everyone else know about this. Tell them to start searching for him. There's no telling what Tyson's planning to do, especially in the state he's in right now."

"What are you guys doing?" Mystel asked quickly.

"We're going to get a head start." He said, snatching the note from Mystel and leading the way through the doors.

The other four followed him without hesitation. Once outside the dojo doors, the 5 of them split in different directions, hoping to cover more ground. It wasn't that much longer before the other teams ran out and started covering other areas around the city. Nobody, however, had thought to search at the one place where Tyson had gone.

* * *

Tyson stood, looking out at the ocean stretching in front of him. He hadn't often gone to see the salty abyss at night; but then again he hadn't come to the pier to look at the ocean. No, he had come in hopes of meeting a certain man. This was, after all, the only place he could think oft o meet the man again. Nobody was here, but Tyson couldn't shake the feeling that Jack (if that really was him name) would show up sooner or later if he stuck around. He _had_ said that he would be watching Tyson, didn't he?

Tyson took a lazy step onto the large wooden dock. He could at least take a quick walk to the end and maybe watch the sun rise. It was a long this dock that was about 150m long at last, and the planks were mismatched between new and old. As Tyson made it to the end he sat down and swung his legs over the edge, staring out over the horizon that was starting to glow alight from the approaching morning sun.

He sat there, watching the sky turn from black to lilac to dark pink to a light peachy orange. Fog had started to settle around him and a familiar feeling made it's way into Tyson's stomach. The fog was getting so thick it was almost like an obtuse blanket of it was wrapping around him, and orange from the sunrise lingered with the tiny droplets of fog. Tyson felt uncomfortable, the atmosphere gave him a tense feeling. Just as Tyson picked himself up to leave a low growl sounded behind him.

"I was expecting more of a fight."


End file.
